Toad-stabber

[Si Klegg]

Army slang for an Officer's sword.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Ouch. Toad stabber? Found an era Tiffany's advertisement, offering officer's swords for sale. They would inscribe whatever the buyer wished on them. For weapons, they're awfully elegant. You just know the upscale manufacturers like Tiffany's loathed this term. Well, ' toad stabber ' doesn't appear in the ad!

 

[Si Klegg]

'Cheese-knife' is another I've seen, but most cheese knives I've seen split-off to form a double-prong at the end.

I feel sorry for the toads!

 

[redbob]

That's a new one on me, here in the South we have "Toad Stranglers" which is a torrential downpour of rain.

 

[Si Klegg]

That's a new one on me, here in the South we have "Toad Stranglers" which is a torrential downpour of rain.

Excellent!

Oh my, I'm going to use 'toad-strangler' in everyday life over here. Our weather forecast predicts a heavy day of toad-stranglers later this week after all this hot weather

 

[redbob]

Excellent!

Oh my, I'm going to use 'toad-strangler' in everyday life over here. Our weather forecast predicts a heavy day of toad-stranglers later this week after all this hot weather

Well, there you go, being in SE England that ought to work just fine. Use it with my compliments my friend.

 

[Si Klegg]

Well, there you go, being in SE England that ought to work just fine. Use it with my compliments my friend.

Cheers Bob!

I can't help but copy pronunciations and slang terms from Stateside, it's in my nature. One of my favourites was when we were pulled over by a Traffic Cop in Kentucky who told me to 'Remain in your vee-hickle Sir.'

We say 'veackle' here but I use the Kentucky version

 

[lelliott19]

'Remain in your vee-hickle Sir.' We say 'veackle' here but I use the Kentucky version

Good stuff. As Ive mentioned elsewhere in the Forum, here in the deep south, we prefer to add a syllable whenever possible.

So vehicle becomes this: vee-hick-al (with the accent on the vee) I would love to see the faces of those you encounter when you say vee-hick-al in England.

EDIT TO ADD: We call a torrential rain a "toad floater" since the toads are sure to wash away.

 

[Si Klegg]

Good stuff. As Ive mentioned elsewhere in the Forum, here in the deep south, we prefer to add a syllable whenever possible.

So vehicle becomes this: vee-hick-al (with the accent on the vee) I would love to see the faces of those you encounter when you say vee-hick-al in England.

EDIT TO ADD: We call a torrential rain a "toad floater" since the toads are sure to wash away.

I do get some peculiar looks when I use it, but I was re-enacting so long, Americanisms and Civil War sayings do pepper my conversation.

And to go briefly but heavily off topic … here's one that tends to get a reaction, but you've got to be a bit careful where you use it … for obvious reasons

If I'm in a Starbucks, Costa or whatever and they ask 'How would you like your coffee Sir?'

The response is 'Black, strong and bitter … like my women ...'

 

[Mike Serpa]

I've heard of 'gully washer' for a torrent of rain.

 

[Si Klegg]

I've heard of 'gully washer' for a torrent of rain.

Gully-washer, toad-floater, toad-strangler, these are great, so descriptive … you know, imho in general your ordinary folks and the way youse talk over there is a much better example of the true American sense of humour, rather than that portrayed in comedy shows and stand-ups.

We say 'raining cats and dogs', 'raining stair-rods', 'chucking it down' etc. I can't recall any phrases or nouns we use for that kind of weather other than a deluge.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Gully-washer, toad-floater, toad-strangler, these are great, so descriptive … you know, imho in general your ordinary folks and the way youse talk over there is a much better example of the true American sense of humour, rather than that portrayed in comedy shows and stand-ups.

We say 'raining cats and dogs', 'raining stair-rods', 'chucking it down' etc. I can't recall any phrases or nouns we use for that kind of weather other than a deluge.

I've not heard 'raining stair-rods', or 'chucking it down'. We say 'raining cats and dogs', also. I sometimes try to add a joke to it. I'll say, "It's raining cats and dogs... I just stepped in a poodle!"

 

[John Winn]

I had to click on a thread with that title !

When I was a kid folks in the country used to go out at night frog gigging and they'd use a poker on the end of a long stick. I sometimes heard those called toad stickers.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

I've heard of 'gully washer' for a torrent of rain.

In Kentucky that would be pronounced "gully Wharsh-er"

I was convinced that we possessed a wharsh-ing machine until those smart alecks in college, from up north--Cleveland, pointed out one of my "few" to be found faults.

 

[Si Klegg]

/snip

I'll say, "It's raining cats and dogs... I just stepped in a poodle!"

Aaaaargh

I had to click on a thread with that title !

When I was a kid folks in the country used to go out at night frog gigging and they'd use a poker on the end of a long stick. I sometimes heard those called toad stickers.

'Frog gigging' ! Never heard of it … my, am I getting an edukashun here … I had to wiki that

 

[lelliott19]

'Frog gigging' ! Never heard of it … my, am I getting an edukashun here … I had to wiki that

Next time you travel to the States, let me know. I will get some folks around here to set you up a frog gigging gig.

And just so you pronounce it correctly.....it's ed- chu- ka-shun (four syllables)

 

[amweiner]

Next time you travel to the States, let me know. I will get some folks around here to set you up a frog gigging gig.

And just so you pronounce it correctly.....it's ed- chu- ka-shun (four syllables)

Except for those that choose to pronounce it "ed-ja-muh-KAY-shun". Whoo! I got 5 syllables from that bad boy!!

 

[Mike Serpa]

Except for those that choose to pronounce it "ed-ja-muh-KAY-shun". Whoo! I got 5 syllables from that bad boy!!

I've heard some people say that. I wonder about their education when I hear it said that way.

 

[amweiner]

I've heard some people say that. I wonder about their education when I hear it said that way.

As do I.... there are some interesting manglings of the English language regional differences in pronunciation.

 

[Mike Serpa]

As do I.... there are some interesting manglings of the English language regional differences in pronunciation.

Our niece and family moved from our beautiful state to Arkansas three years ago. Last year over the phone I asked her how far from her old residence is her new residence. She said, "Down the road a piece."